The accelerating pace of technological change in the workplace is driving "reverse mentorships" in which young cubicle dwellers offer their expertise ...

A nurse in a leadership role, Sarah says her challenging new job doesn't feel like a job at all.

The only problem: not all of her co-workers share the 30-year-old's zeal, particularly the nurses who are nearly twice her age. When Sarah needs to teach them something new, she's often met with frustrated reactions. One co-worker even burst into tears when her promotion was announced.

As ambitious generation Ys clamber up the ladder rungs, more than a few are landing a few paces beyond their older colleagues, creating conflict on both sides. But there are ways to mitigate the conflict, says Vancouver career expert Alanna Fero.

"You have to lead by example at any age. Do everything you'd expect your staff to do--plus a little more. You have to extend courtesy and respect and transparent communication, to get it," says Fero.

The biggest mistake a manager can make is to have a conversation about a lack of respect. Instead, set deadlines and follow them, and try to figure out the source of any hostility you're sensing.

While it's important to get to know the people you're working with, it's never acceptable to let yourself get walked all over. "If you let yourself continually be disrespected by someone, you will cease to be the boss." Fero has consulted for workplaces in which the actual boss is superseded by an experienced worker who stepped in to fill the leadership vacuum.

Ultimately, it's not about age, but ability. "You are not your age, you are your role," Fero cautions.

For baby boomers, who tend to see success as a matter of hard work and paying dues, it can be uncomfortable to watch a younger person rise to the top quickly. However, the issue isn't why the young person managed to succeed so early, but why the older employee hasn't moved up, says Fero.

In some cases, boomers have been forced to take lower-end jobs because of economic pressures. "Right now, that may be the only job that's available to them," says Fero. "That older person has to stick it out for the same reason they've stuck it out at other points in their career:because that's what's there."

But in some cases, more experienced workers don't move up for other reasons. One common reason is a lack of education. With MBAs accepting people straight out of undergraduate degrees, business schools are churning out 23-year-old MBA graduates who are then taking higher-up positions in companies.

"The marketplace is changing, and education is becoming equal to experience in a lot of organizations," says Fero.

In this situation, experienced workers have two choices: adjust or do something else. For many, consulting is a viable option. Going back to school can also be an option for an experienced worker who cannot abide a younger supervisor.

Whatever they do, older workers need to find a way to manage. After all, a bad attitude won't help them get ahead, says Fero.

Tension between younger managers and older workers is just one symptom of intergenerational conflicts in workplaces. Lately, Fero has noticed more companies resist hiring gen Ys out of a fear of hiring immature workers. "I talk to so many employers who are frustrated with people in their 20s and 30s who don't want to be accountable," says Fero. "I'm getting calls on the recruitment side from companies saying, we don't want to do something illegal, or age discriminate, but we need someone mature."

In some cases, they're requiring far more years of experience than a job calls for, says Fero.

Whatever your generation, industry or level of experience, Fero advises everyone to become more knowledgeable about the different generations and how they interact at work. While intergenerational tensions continue, a little knowledge can go a long way.

"At any age, you should know about the psychology behind the people you're living and working with."